组织工程学是新兴的交叉学科领域，其将生物学和工程学原理应用于恢复，维持或改善人体组织功能的可行替代品的开发。这种治疗形式与标准药物治疗的不同之处在于，工程组织被整合到患者体内，提供了可能永久性和特异性的疾病治疗方法。每年，由于事故，先天缺陷，遗传性疾病，状况和疾病，许多美国人遭受器官和组织损失。对生物过程的进一步了解为开发新型生物材料，聚合物诊断和分析试剂提供了希望。
Tissue engineering is an emerging interdisciplinary field which applies the principles of biology and engineering to the development of viable substitutes which restore, maintain, or improve the function of human tissues. This form of therapy differs from standard drug therapy in that the engineered tissue becomes integrated within the patient, affording a potentially permanent and specific cure of the disease state. A large number of Americans suffer organ and tissue loss every year from accidents, birth defects, hereditary disorders, conditions and diseases. Improved understanding of biological processes holds promise for the development of new classes of biomaterials, polymers diagnostic and analytical reagents.<br><br>Tissue engineering integrates discoveries from biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, genetics, material science and biomedical engineering to produce innovative three dimensional composites having structure/function properties that can be used to either replace or correct damaged, missing or poorly functioning components in living systems. In addition, this emerging technology can be used to introduce better functioning components. The material components themselves may be processed from naturally occurring materials, processed from synthetic materials or a combination of these. Cellular and other biologic components may be added.